Forestry
Forestry is the application of scientific principles to the management forest resources, including non-wood products. The primary goal of the forestry program is to produce technically competent forest and natural resources managers who understand the ecological, economic, social and legal basics that underpin human uses of natural resources. Students are trained in the various techniques used to determine resource quantities and qualities, economic values, resource productivity, and social constraints in management of natural and forest resources. The forestry field is continually changing in response to new understanding about ecological functions and emerging modern technologies like global positioning systems, geographic information systems, and computerized data collection. The demand for foresters in United States is increasing, particularly in the Southwest.
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The two concentrations within the forestry major are Forestry and Wildland Fire.
Sample curriculum
401 Wild Land fire fighter series of courses
Opportunities for Advanced Degrees
There are numerous opportunities for students to seek advanced degrees. Nationally, there are many graduate programs in forest management, forest science, watershed management, Silviculture, forest ecology, forest economics, recreational resources management, and wilderness management.
Opportunities for Employment
The development of the forestry major is in response to several important needs that federal, state, and local agencies will be facing in the near future. They are:
- Federal agencies (USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, etc.) expect about 50 percent retirement of the current workforce in the next 10 years.
- Federal agencies also desire regional centers of information and expertise.
- There are few forestry consulting firms in northern New Mexico; however, the future need of trained people to prepare plans and prescriptions to ensure a sustainable and economically manageable natural resource asset for public and private landowners is an emerging employment area.
The natural resources management discipline has been working with an advisory group (members: USDA Forest Service, NM Forestry Division, NM Game and Fish Dept., USDI Bureau of Land Management, PNM, lumber manufacturers, and Los Alamos National Laboratory.) This group is highly supportive of the forestry program at Highlands. Its interest is largely in developing a cadre of professionals with expertise in forestry and watershed management in New Mexico.
Department Majors
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOLOGY | FORESTRY
Available Minors
Biology
Biology for Teachers
Environmental Science and Management
Geology
Active Projects
USDA Sponsored SASE Project/ FRRE Project
The Science Agricultural Summer Experience (SASE) project directed by Dr. Edward Martinez and the Focusing Recruitment, Retention and Research Experiences (FRRRE) project co-directed by Dr. Jennifer Lindline and Dr. Edward Martinez.
Learn more here